


and the world looks so much brighter

by weonderlust



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mark is only mentioned, Slight markhyuck, brief appearances by ten, confessions and kisses OwO, hsm and pjo references, kinda??, love simon inspired, they sing to hsm songs what more do u want
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-24 20:33:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17107658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weonderlust/pseuds/weonderlust
Summary: Helping My Best Friend Get a Love Life: A Half-Assed Novel by Na JaeminHere are three facts you need to know before proceeding, that is, if I ever get to finish this book (it’s a working progress):1.	Huang Renjun hates Lucas Wong;2.	Renjun has a crush on this guy with the username yukhei99 (really lame if you ask me) on Twitter dot com; and3.	oh, no—Renjun’s about to rip my head apart if I don’t stop typing. Wait, don’t go! It gets better, I swear!(Or: Donghyuck broke his arm, so by the laws set by the universe, Renjun has to co-star with his mortal enemy AKA Lucas for their school’s end year musical. However, Renjun gets more than bouquets of flowers and a standing ovation.)





	and the world looks so much brighter

**Author's Note:**

> the title is from start of something new :3
> 
> this is my secret santa gift to one of my sunshines in mbh gays, gia <3 surprise!! i’m your secret santa! i hope you loved this one!!!
> 
> merry christmas! i hope 2019 treats you well

“Where’s Donghyuck?” Jaemin asks as he approaches Renjun who just came up on stage.

 _Weird_ , Renjun thinks. He only realizes how quiet it is. The school’s auditorium is _huge_ , and it’s only been five minutes after one o’ clock so that might have explained it, but the theatre club is never not noisy. They’re a noisy bunch.

Without Donghyuck’s presence, the stage feels even more empty.

No one is leaning his head on Jeno’s shoulders, or laughing obnoxiously at Jaemin’s antics, or calling out Mark when he forgets his lines as he goes over them again and again or nudging his arm when a certain _giant_ walks into the auditorium.

This time, it’s Jaemin who nudges his arm. He asks again, “Hey, where’s Donghyuck? I thought he’d be with you.”

Renjun scans the seats before looking around the stage. “He’s not here.”

“I know that,” Jaemin sighs. “I meant, like, his exact location or something.”

Renjun shrugs, “Maybe he’s late.”

“He’s never late. Unless he’s with us… or Mark but homeboy is in Canada,” the other explains before calling out to a black-haired boy coming up from behind the stage curtains, “Have you seen Donghyuck?”

“No,” Jeno answers and Jaemin visibly deflates, “Then whe—”

The two big doors from across the room opens and Kun and Ten, the directors for the school’s upcoming play (something about a university project, he recalls), come sauntering in with a few of the rest of the theatre kids behind him. Renjun catches a glimpse (it’s not difficult when he’s towering almost everyone) of Lucas.

“The enemy has been spotted,” Jeno impersonates a soldier’s voice and Jaemin laughs while Renjun glares at them.

Now, don’t get him wrong. Renjun is a nice person. He’s friendly. He has friends. He’s close with the people in the theatre club (thanks to the team building exercises Kun forced them to go through) but Lucas is _not_ in the club. He doesn’t think he has ever seen him in the auditorium _ever_.

“Why is Lucas here?” he asks under his breath but Kun hears it, anyways.

“Great question, young Renjun. That’s what I want to talk about,” he motions to the rest, “Everyone—in a circle.”

Almost like instinct, they start to form a circle on the stage around Kun and Ten, and Renjun sits between Jeno and Jaemin to avoid Lucas who chose to take the space beside Jaemin. He scoffs, _the audacity_.

“The show is in a month but I’m afraid there will be a few changes to the roles,” Ten began and everyone lets out a mixture of confused ‘huh’ and ‘why’.

“Just some small changes, not to worry,” Kun smiles before looking directly at Renjun who raises an eyebrow, “Renjun, you’ll be playing the role of Gabriella— Gabriel, I mean.”

He blinks, “ _What_.”

Kun hums, ignoring Renjun’s increasing distress. “Donghyuck is unavailable to play the role, unfortunately, but he mentioned that you could do it in his place. Something of the line: _Renjun playing a leading role? It’s a Christmas miracle!_ Bright kid. I like him.”

Jaemin is the first to react, “What do you mean Donghyuck is ‘unavailable’?”

“Oh, yes. I believe his parents took away his phone and that’s why he hasn’t said anything to you, right?” Both Jeno and Jaemin nod frantically while Renjun is still trying to digest the unexpected change, “Well, he had… a minor accident during the weekend. Long story short: he has a cast on his arm now.”

Jeno mutters, “That idiot.”

Renjun sighs. It’s not exactly a surprise to hear Donghyuck is in the hospital because of something he did. Knowing him, he’ll try to things to prove himself, even if it means putting himself at risk.

“Moving on—Mark won’t be joining this upcoming show, too. As you all know, he’ll be in Canada for the winter break and therefore will be absent for the next practice sessions and consequently, the show. Now, the great big reveal on who will be playing the role of Troy…”

Renjun feels like his guts have been pulled out of him. Now, he understands why Lucas is here.

“…Lucas.”

Jeno gasps, immediately turning his head to face Renjun who is frozen in his place.

“Why does it have to be Lucas? Jeno is right here,” he gestures both arms at Jeno.

The poor boy looks like a deer caught in headlights. “Uh—”

Kun answers his question, much to his dismay, “Lucas has experience in playing Troy because he was in theatre back in Hong Kong. He’s quick at memorizing his lines, too. There will be no problems. Right, Renjun?”

He asks it so _sweetly_. Next to him, Jaemin is holding his chest wheezing in broken laughter but Renjun doesn’t pay attention to that because he can feel Lucas’ eyes on him. He grits his teeth, “ _Right_.”

 

 

 

 

“…then I tripped and broke my arm,” Donghyuck concludes before placing a spoonful of mint-chocolate ice cream in his mouth. He’s sitting comfortably on the hospital bed, albeit his left arm being in a cast. His parents got him a good room, too. Renjun likes the beige-coloured walls. The view is really pretty, too—the Sun was just setting.

“You dummy,” Jeno says, fiddling with his phone, “You should have been more careful.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Donghyuck waves the spoon around, “but I’m okay, really. I’m just sad I won’t be in this show.”

“Never did I expect a day where Donghyuck _isn’t_ playing the lead role,” Jaemin giggles from the large sofa in the room.

“Shut up, it’s not _my_ fault I’m Kun’s favourite student,” he jokes before grinning at Renjun, “So, how do you feel about playing Gabriel?”

He scowls in response and Donghyuck guffaws. “Is acting with Lucas for _one_ play, mind you, that difficult for you?”

“How did you know—”

“Mark.”

“How does Mark know?”

“He and Lucas are _friends_ , remember? You should try it. Friendship with Lucas.”

Renjun groans. “ _Ugh_ , you know much he hates my guts and vice versa.”

“He doesn’t hate you,” Jeno comments. Renjun ignores him.

Jaemin gets off the sofa to climb up the bed and laying down next to Donghyuck, “Are you _still_ hung up on what happened back when we were freshmen?”

“We do not speak of that.”

“Sure, Renjun. Sure.”

The topic dies ( _thank God,_ Renjun thinks) and they start talking about other things, filling Donghyuck in on what happened during practice and informing him on the assignments he has to do (he groaned at this one). The conversation shifts to Mark as he tells them the reason why his boyfriend had to abruptly leave for Canada is because his cousin thought it was a great idea to come home after getting married drunk to a total stranger in Las Vegas.

“What time is it now for him?” Jeno asks, moments after.

Donghyuck thinks for a moment. “ _Really_ early. Like Devil’s hour, but I’m going to face-time him in a few hours. I mean, who doesn’t want to be blessed with my face early in the morning?” he jokes before realizing his ice cream pint was stolen by Jeno.

“Time zones are wack,” Jaemin says it like he’s philosophizing.

Renjun checks his phone before standing up and stretching, “I have to go.”

Jaemin sits up. There’s a sly smile on his face, “You really don’t need a schedule, you know? _yukhei99 aka Xuxi_ is going to be online. Like always.”

“Shut up. Who said I was going to go home for him?” he retorts but the blush on his cheeks betray him.

 

 

 

 

Jaemin was right—he _is_ online.

 

 **Xuxi** _@yukhei99_    51s **  
** okay but percy jackson > harry potter

 

Renjun breathes in and out, fingers hovering over the laptop keys. He pouts, mentally screaming at himself for being nervous. He has been talking to _Xuxi_ for months for Hades’ sake.

This _thing_ all started on Valentine’s day (oh, the irony). There was an art contest and Renjun won first place with his sixteen 8 x 10 paintings of different versions of Aphrodite—one of it being a painting of Jaemin—titled _beauty: in different forms_. He then posted a photo of his artwork on his twitter art account:

**injun** _@moomins_    10m  
“to be perfect, you have to feel perfect about yourself—avoid trying to be something you’re not.”

 

Instead of finding people who recognized the quote (there were a few), there was one quoted tweet that caught his attention:

 

 **Xuxi** _@yukhei99_    4m **  
** not to be that person but the colour schemes remind me of high school musical, specifically the we’re all in this together scene lmao

The rest was history.

Renjun and _Xuxi_ actually built a friendship through direct messages. If he told this to himself last year, past Renjun would have laughed at how ridiculous that sounded. Donghyuck and Jeno were a little wary about it at first but they relaxed as Jaemin saw no harm in this. “We’re Generation Z kids—this is normal,” Jaemin said. “Plus, what kind of old man would stalk an art account with the username _moomins_?”

“I mean, they _did_ bond through High School Musical,” Jeno had added.

High School Musical was their—him and Xuxi’s (or Yukhei’s?)—thing. Maybe that’s why he’s pissed off at having to act it with Lucas, who had done nothing but hurt him in the past.

Renjun takes another deep breath before he starts typing.

 

 **injun**  
hey

 **Xuxi**  
hi :3  
how was ur day

 **injun**  
kinda ://

 **Xuxi**  
oh?  
spill, baby

 

Renjun’s heart does a flip.

 

 **injun**  
my friend broke his arm

 **Xuxi**  
oh shit  
is he ok

 **injun**  
he’s invincible  
but now  
i have to play lead role for the sch’s upcoming musical

 **Xuxi**  
isn’t that a good thing?  
i’d kill for a leading role  
not really  
i’m not a serial killer i swear

 **injun**  
dork  
yeah i’m excited to get the lead role  
but i have to co-star with someone i don’t really like

 

There’s a pause.

Then, he’s left on _Seen_.

Renjun waits. A good ten minutes pass before he’s online again.

 

 **Xuxi**  
sorry  
my pizza just arrived  
someone u don’t like, hm?

 **injun**  
yeah  
he hates me

 **Xuxi**  
no he doesn’t

 **injun**  
?

 **Xuxi**  
u do this little dance when they served cake at the cafeteria today  
no one can ever hate a person that cute

 **injun**  
HPW  
WAITF  
U SAW THAT?  
ARE U A STALKER  
IM CALLIGN THE POLICE

 **Xuxi**  
!!! WAIT!!!  
we go to the same school  
renjun  
are u still there

 **injun**  
THE  
U EVEN KNOW MY NAME  
do i know u???  
why didn’t u approach me then

 **Xuxi**  
that would blow away off my spy cover

 **injun**  
u didn’t answer all my questions  
do we share a class

 **Xuxi**  
yes :]

 **injun**  
which

 **Xuxi**  
can’t do that im on spy duty

 **injun**  
i-  
good night

 **Xuxi**  
this early?

 **injun**  
I SAID GOOD NIGHT

 **Xuxi**  
good night baby

 **injun**  
U HAVE NO RIGHTS,,  
i can’t believe u withhold this information from me  
ur cruel  
…good night

 

 

 

 

Of course, Renjun tells Jeno and Jaemin (Donghyuck is still in the hospital—courtesy of his lovable but sometimes overbearing father) about his new revelation the following week while they’re sitting way back in the theatre seats as they wait for Kun. Renjun sits next to Jeno while Jaemin sits in front of them. The stage is big and there are always people who can easily eavesdrop. Renjun doesn’t really want that—that’s why he’s kept this from them for a week (maximum).

“You’re saying he saw your stupid cake dance?” Jeno scratches his chin, pretending to be deep in thought. Renjun hits him gently on the head. Jeno proceeds to feign falling off his seat.

He flinches when Jaemin suddenly turns around, eyes big as saucers, “And he goes to _our_ school?”

“How else would he have seen that? Pay attention next time.”

“Oh God, this is exactly like _Love, Simon_.”

“What—”

“Love, Renjun,” he slowly says and Renjun swears he has stars in his eyes.

The stars turn into galaxies when Jeno grabbed his shoulders and shaking him, “ _Renjun versus The Homo Sapiens Agenda_. That would be legendary.”

“ _Enough_!” Renjun slaps Jeno’s hands away.

“If he really is enrolled here that means you can meet him!” Jaemin beams. “And since he’s in one of your classes, like you said, then it makes it a hundred times easier!”

 _Yeah, but the dork has a spy agenda_.

He doesn’t say it out loud.

Before he could say anything else, Kun barges in through the large doors, scaring them. Kun shoots them a look before making his way towards the stage.

“Okay, everyone _up_ on stage! Get on your feet.”

Jeno and Jaemin goes ahead as Renjun fixes his jacket. When he steps out of the seat lane, he bumps into Lucas who he apparently didn’t see.

Lucas puts up both his hands, “Sorry. I didn’t see you.”

Renjun glares.

“I forget how tiny you are—”

_What in the world—_

“—in a good way! I didn’t mean to offend you. I— uh—”

“The stage is over there,” Renjun points out before walking away. He pretends he didn’t see the way Lucas frowns just the slightest—almost unnoticeable, but hey, Renjun’s not looking.

Once Renjun and Lucas stands with the rest of the crew on stage, Kun brings his hands together, making everyone put their focus on their teacher who’s standing in his seat, looking dramatically relieved, “Right, everyone’s here. _Freaking finally_.”

Lucas looks sheepish and Renjun would be lying if he thought it wasn’t cute.

(Donghyuck would never let him live.)

“Today, before we start practicing, I want to, again, ensure everyone’s chemistry with each other is good—perfect, maybe, but I don’t ask for much, so we’ll go for _good_ today. Now, I’ve sensed a little bit of tension with our main stars for the past week—”

Renjun’s mind goes blank. Oh, no. Truthfully, he’s been expecting this, but he really thought Kun would just let it go. Apparently not. On reflex, he looks at Lucas who’s already looking at him.

“—so for fun, I want them to sing Start of Something New, but this time I want everyone to pay attention to their chemistry, okay?”

“Okay!” Everyone answers but a certain Na Jaemin responds it a little louder, complete with _two_ thumbs up. Jeno gives Renjun a reassuring smile.

As everyone makes their way to sit behind Kun, Lucas hands him the microphone.

“Thanks,” Renjun says. Lucas smiles.

They face the crowd the way Troy and Gabriella did on the small stage where they first met. Renjun sees Jaemin whispering to Kun who nods at whatever Jaemin requested. He then sees him making way to the piano. _Ah, he’s going to play_. He’s a little enthusiastic about this, Renjun notes.

It’s starts out well. He acts timid, shy and hesitant. Like in the movie.

 _God_ , he would be lying if he said Lucas wasn’t a great Troy.

There are parts where he has to make eye-contact with Lucas before looking away and softly smiling.

“ _This could be the start of something new_ ,” they sing together and Renjun proves himself, once again, to be one of the best actors in the theatre club. The Renjun now is so different than the Renjun a few minutes ago. That’s what he wants to believe.

“ _It feels so right—_ ” Lucas sings and unlike the shy stares Gabriel does, Troy has to look awe-struck. That’s what Lucas does, and he’s great at it. Almost like he’s not acting at all, but Renjun doesn’t want to dwell over that.

“ _—to be here with you, oh_ ,” Renjun feels like there are fireworks in his stomach. He blames the food he ate an hour ago.

“ _And now, lookin’ in your eyes, I feel in my heart—_ ”

“ _Feel in my heart,_ ” Lucas’ voice is lower and Renjun’s lungs tighten.

“ _The start of something new_.”

Everyone starts clapping to the beat and Lucas is so into it that he starts to lean towards him like in the movies. _Of fucking course_ whatever deity up there had planned this because Renjun panics and trips over his own foot. Lucas is quicker to grab him by the arm and pulling him into his chest.

Renjun’s heartbeats are loud in his ears but he refuses to miss a note and gets back on track.

He’s not sure but it’s like the cheers are louder and they’re full on dancing in the seats. Jeno has this stupid smile which only means he’s _red_ in the face.

They end the song facing each other and they’re standing closer than they were before. Renjun hates at how he has to look up because Lucas is so fucking tall—

Whatever. He looks away, searching for Kun. He wants to prove Kun that he can have great chemistry with Lucas, even if they hate each other’s guts.

Once everyone stops clapping, Kun smiles. “That was great! It could have been better, though.”

 _Hello_ , Renjun wants to say, _not my fault Troy decided to lean towards m—_

“Renjun, you know he was supposed to lean, right?” Kun asks. _Great_ , his teacher can read minds apparently.

He doesn’t back down from the fight, “Yes.”

“I like how you look surprised. Almost believable. Was almost falling on your butt necessary, though?”

Renjun wants to throw himself off the stage. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Kun waves his hands around, gesturing everyone to get back on stage, “Okay, people, let’s do the cafeteria scene. I want everyone to passionately _stick_ to the status quo. Get it? I’m hilarious. Anyways, I better _see_ the passion. If by a miracle happens, I’ll get to _smell_ the passion—”

Before Lucas gets to his position, Renjun goes to grab his wrist, missing by a few centimetres and pulling at his sleeve instead, “Hey, uh, I just want to thank you for not letting me fall.”

_What am I doing?_

Lucas looks mildly surprised. “It’s okay. Accidents happen on stage a lot. We wouldn’t want Gabriel to injure himself, now do we?”

It’s a joke so Renjun tries for a smile.

Then, he remembered what Lucas did. He trudges towards Jeno and Jaemin without another word.

 

 

 

 

 **nana** _@jaeminnie_    21m  
there rlly is a difference between acting and not acting

 **hyuckie** _@FullSun_    18m  
**@jaeminnie** the hell are u on ofc theres a difference

 **injun** _@moomins_    16m  
**@jaeminnie** what is the point of this tweet

 **nana** _@jaeminnie_    4m  
**@moomins** bc SOMEONE still cant see it yet

 

 

 

 

 **Xuxi**  
gabriel

 **injun**  
weird online kid

 **Xuxi**  
HEY

 **injun**  
good evening

 **xuxi**  
what are u up to

 **injun**  
is that some weird invite

 **Xuxi**  
NO  
renjun i’m not some weirdo okay

 **injun**  
…sure  
i’m trying not to die

 **Xuxi**  
uh what

 **injun**  
in this online game  
jisung is winning  
i can’t let him

 **Xuxi**  
freshman jisung?

 **injun**  
yeah  
wait  
HOW DO U KNOW HIM  
u rlly are a stalker  
i shouldn’t have listened to jaemin

 **Xuxi**  
CALM DOWN  
i’m friends with jisung

 **injun**  
sounds fake but ok

 **Xuxi**  
fjksksjk i’m beinf serious

 **injun**  
this is kinda creepy  
ur creepy

 **Xuxi**  
baby that’s not nice

 **injun**  
U CANT CALL ME BABY

 **Xuxi**  
i have done it before?? a lot of times????

 **injun**  
that was before i KNEW u were breathin in my sch  
and knows me  
and shares a mf class with me

 

 

 

 **Xuxi** Retweeted  
**injun** _@moomins_     3m  
google search how do i unknow a person

 **Xuxi** _@yukhei99_    2m  
**@moomins** ur so cute u know that?

 **hyuckie** _@FullSun_    30s  
**@moomins @yukhei99** OWO WHATS THIS?

 

 

 

 **Xuxi**  
ok if u were to know me better

 **injun**  
i would like to see that

 **Xuxi**  
hfjdkdj  
ok here’s another hint: i was at the auditorium today  
i mean it when i say ur rlly cute renjun :3

 **injun**  
HUH

 **Xuxi**  
i guess u could say…  
this is the start of something new

 **injun**  
THE

 

 

 

 

When the bell rings indicating it’s lunch time, Renjun is the first to run out of his Biology laboratory. He barges into the cafeteria, scanning for a familiar freshman, or a purple-haired kid because they’re always together, anyways. Renjun lets out a ‘A-ha!’ when he sees them at a long table near the large window.

He sits next to Chenle and across Jisung. They both look a little startled. He doesn’t blame them. He’s usually outside at one of the picnic tables with Jeno, Jaemin and Donghyuck because the cafeteria sometimes gets too loud. Mark is sometimes with them, but he’s usually with the other seniors.

Like Lucas.

Ah, yes. He needs to talk to Jisung about this _Xuxi_ guy.

“Okay, spill, Park Jisung.”

“He didn’t spill anything,” Chenle says before giggling at his own joke.

Renjun waves a hand at him, still staring at Jisung. He gets to the point, “What do you know about _Xuxi_?”

“Who?”

“Yukhei.”

“I… What?”

“ _Yukhei_. _Ninety-nine_.”

Jisung thinks for a moment, “I think I see you retweeting his tweets sometimes.”

“Well, he said you are friends with him. Who is he?”

Jisung shakes his head, “I literally have no idea who that is.”

Renjun puts his face in his palms, “This is _useless_.”

It comes out muffled, but they hear it. Jisung continues, “Maybe Chenle knows?”

Hope forms in his chest.

“Nope,” Chenle answers, so quick and simple as if Renjun’s heart didn’t just snap into two.

“Sorry, hyung, but we genuinely don’t know a _Xuxi_ or a… who? _yukhei ninety_ whatever.”

Before Renjun could correct him that it’s _ninety-nine_ , Lucas sits next to him. Chenle squeaks out a greeting before moving to sit next to Jisung.

“Hey,” Lucas says and Renjun nods with his face hidden in his hands, still sad at how he still has no clues on this _Xuxi_ guy to even continue his I-hate-Lucas-and-vice-versa façade.

“I was, um, looking for you. I even asked Jeno and Jaemin.”

For _why_.

Renjun points at himself, “Well, here I am.”

“Right, uh. I just— do you want to go over our lines?” Lucas mutters and Renjun looks up. He looks nervous. _Huh_. “Since we have no practice today.”

“Now? Here?”

 _Okay._ Funny how he isn’t completely disgusted at hanging out with Lucas—one-on-one, he adds. He’s not even rejecting him immediately.

“Yes? But maybe not here. Somewhere not cacophonous.”

Renjun suddenly lets out a laugh. Jisung and Chenle looks bewildered. If Renjun paid attention, he could see Lucas’ cheeks slowly reddening and there’s a shy smile on his face.

“Sorry, sorry. Yukhei says that.”

He remembers how that went. Yukhei wanted to prove Renjun that he knew big words and when he asked for an example, he gave him _cacophonous_. It’s been a small inside joke between them.

“Yukhei?”

“Yukhei— nevermind. Let’s go. We could practice at the bleachers.”

They leave and Chenle takes a sip of his drink. “Yukhei… ninety-nine…”

“Nine-nine.”

“…Maybe he’s a friend of Mark? Because 1999, right?”

Jisung shrugs. “Then Renjun could ask Lucas about this Yukhei person.”

 

 

 

 

One practice session outside the theatre turns into two, then three, then it’s like Lucas sticks to Renjun almost every day.

It’s fine, this is for the school’s play— _we gotta wow them, afterall_ –but Lucas has his schedule memorized for whatever reason and he always waits outside of Renjun’s classes. He can understand if he wants to walk together to the auditorium, but he does it in between classes, too.

“It’s a sweet gesture,” Donghyuck had whispered when he finally came back from the hospital. They’re packing their things after class has ended. Lucas is waiting outside. “He’s trying to woo you.”

Renjun closed his eyes, “Definitely not. We hate each other, remember?”

“Right. Keep saying that and maybe you’ll believe it,” Donghyuck winked.

 

There are times where Lucas would bring him lunch from _McDonalds_ , for Zeus’ sake, whenever he doesn’t see Renjun at the cafeteria. It’s cute, he guesses. The large-sized drinks are a big bonus.

 

He’s with Lucas again by the bleachers. The soccer team just finished a few games so they’re alone and it’s quiet. Paper bags of Burger King, now just filled with trash, are perched by Renjun’s feet. Lucas is standing a few seats in front of where Renjun is sitting, the script for the musical in his hand.

He’s saying something—going over his lines, perhaps. Renjun doesn’t really hear it anything. He knows Lucas is handsome, but he only _sees_ it now. The top of his head is covered by the black hoodie he’s wearing and he’s wearing these skinny blue ripped jeans. The way his mouth moves is captivating.

He catches his eyes.

“Renjun?”

 _Oh_.

He’s been caught staring.

Renjun’s ears turns bright red. “What were you saying?”

Lucas slides the paper bags away from Renjun’s legs so that he can lean in. Whatever it was that made him, for whatever reason, untie the hoodie strings to take off the hoodie, revealing Lucas hair… whatever it was, he doesn’t know. He doesn’t know.

_So close, so close, so close—_

Because there’s a smile forming on his face, and that’s all Renjun can think about it.

“ _There’s not a star in heaven that we can’t reach_.”

Renjun tilts his head, “Am I supposed to sing back?”

Lucas smiles, moving away and Renjun can breathe properly. “I’m just saying it’s a really cute line.”

Then, Lucas picks up the paper bags, marching down the bleachers to throw them in the recycling bin. Renjun takes the opportunity to take out his phone.

 

 

 **injun** _@moomins_    25s _  
_ stupid cute boys and their stupid cute smile

 

 

“You’re smiling to yourself,” Lucas catches him off guard.

He tries not to stutter, “I’m just reading some messages.”

“From Yukhei?”

“Shut up,” Renjun punches him on the shoulder.

“You do know that I know him, right?”

 _What?_ “You’re lying.”

“I’m not! He’s a really close friend.”

Lucas’ smile is really, _really_ pretty.

“Prove it, then.”

“He counts in English instead of Korea and was once scolded for that,” he answers without losing a second.

“Holy shit.”

Now, Lucas looks smug and Renjun wants to wipe the smirk off his face with a kiss—

Renjun swallows the urge and instead blurts out, “I want to meet him.”

“He’s… shy,” Lucas drawls out before raising one eyebrow, “You got a crush or something?”

“I— no! That’s none of your business, anyways. He’s just… he’s a really great person, and to be able to meet him beyond Twitter is something I want. Plus, if he _is_ your friend—”

“Which he is.”

“—then that means he’s a senior and he’s graduating soon.”

Lucas’ face softens. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I’ll help you meet him on one condition.”

“Shoot.”

“Kiss me.”

Time stops. Renjun widens his eyes. Then, before he could think, Lucas laughs.

“I’m _kidding_. My one condition is to be my friend.”

“…I thought we are friends?”

“You tip-toe around me.”

 _Yeah, because heartbreaks don’t heal as often_. “It’s called being cautious.”

“I’m not going to bite you.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

The bell rings. Renjun groans because he has Biology for the last class of the day, and that means practical and calculations.

“Biology?”

“Pain.”

Lucas laughs. Then, his eyes light up. “To cheer you up, why don’t we watch a movie? I heard Into the Spider-Verse is really good. I could pick you up after class.”

“Oh,” Renjun says, eyebrows raised in surprise, “Sure. We can do that.”

This is a date, right? Lucas just asked him out on a movie date. He’s going out on a date with someone that despised him—

That can’t be right.

It’s clear Lucas doesn’t hate him. He should stop lying to himself.

He doesn’t hate him, either.

 

 

 **injun** _@moomins_    15m  
maybe it’s time to put the past behind me......

 **Jeno** Retweeted  
**injun** _@moomins_    12m _  
_ anyways i have a date <3

 **hyuckie** _@FullSun_    10m  
**@moomins @LEEJNEO** WHAT

 **nana** _@jaeminnie_    9m  
the planets have aligned. huang renjun is on a DATE

 **Xuxi** _@yukhei99_    3m  
*pats my own back*

 

 

 

 

 **injun**  
hi !!!

 **Xuxi**  
THREE exclamation marks?  
ur in a good mood

 **injun**  
the spider verse was just that good  
also u weren’t online a few hours ago?

 **Xuxi**  
oh that  
i had homework

 **injun**  
wow

 **Xuxi**  
i know. amazing  
how’s the musical going?

 **injun**  
it’s good  
ten wants to improve on some choreo though

 **Xuxi**  
i know all the choreo to hsm by heart

 **injun**  
big fan  
or theatre student?

 **Xuxi**  
where’s the both option

 **injun**  
i apologize

 **Xuxi**  
apology accepted  
if

 **injun**  
if?

 **Xuxi**  
u let me call u baby

 **injun**  
girl i…

 **Xuxi**  
is that a yes

 **injun**  
if u show urself to me at sch  
then maybe yes

 **Xuxi**  
gtg spy duty

 

 

 

Renjun’s (and most likely everyone’s) favourite part of theatre club is when they have practice on Saturdays towards the end of the year. The school is deserted—the theatre kids being the only people there, and it’s about to snow so it’s cold and everyone is in their winter clothing. Jaemin says it’s like Narnia.

It feels like an alternate universe.

Renjun _loves_ it.

Practice doesn’t start until 8 in the morning but everyone’s already there, waiting for Kun, Ten and Johnny—a friend of theirs from college who loves musicals and always brings these huge warm cookies for them to devour.

They have one hour to kill so everyone’s left to their own little adventures because school is different when it’s deserted. Renjun heads over to the music room at the building next to the auditorium with Lucas. Donghyuck wanted to tag along but Jaemin stopped him with a hand and that sly smile of his and Jeno snickered. Renjun wanted to glare at them longer but Lucas was already dragging him by the hand.

His feels his cheeks warm up. They held hands.

“You know,” Lucas’ words snap him out of the memory. Renjun looks at him, he’s sitting on the piano stool. “I can play the piano. Not as good as Jaemin but— Yeah.”

“You told me once,” Renjun says without thinking, walking over to him.

“I did?”

“Yeah,” he nods, fingers gliding across the keys, “Through Twitter.”

_Wait._

_That was Xuxi._

_This is Lucas_.

“Twitter?” Lucas asks, amused.

“Sorry, I thought of Yukhei. I didn’t mean to do that.”

Lucas smiles, and _fuck_ , he really has to stop doing that because it’s driving Renjun crazy, but he doesn’t want him to ever stop smiling at him because it makes him happy and sure, the butterflies in his stomach doesn’t sit well and his feelings are all over the place and there’s only this static screen playing in his head like that time Chenle pranked him by playing that on his television but it’s so worth is because Lucas is smiling at him, and the smile is _for him_ and—

 _Fuck_ , he thinks, _I’m in love with Lucas_.

He never thought the revelation would happen like this: him and Lucas in a music room, Renjun standing behind him as Lucas is seated on the stool, and everyone else feels like they’re million light years away.

He thinks of freshman year. When he had the same stupid puppy crush on sophomore Lucas—when _everyone_ in his batch was head over heels for the ace of the school’s basketball team. He remembered going to Lucas’ every game and cheering for him, knowing Lucas would never spare a glance but it was okay—because he was hopeful. Naïve. Stupid.

Dumb enough to go to the locker room after one big game and poured out his feelings before being shunned away by the basketball team. Lucas did nothing.

He never went to any games afterwards.

But that was years ago. Time’s have changed, Mark would say. Maybe… maybe Lucas have changed. The basketball team did—they never said a word (being friends with Jaemin and Jeno had its perks) about the ordeal.

“Lucas?” he starts.

“Yeah?”

“Do you remember the Locker Room incident?”

Renjun feels his breath hitched. There’s a pause, before Lucas turns around to face him and _oh_ , they’re close again. Renjun feels his heart racing. He hopes Lucas doesn’t realize.

“I do,” Lucas answers and Renjun feels something in his gut, “I do—and I— shit, how do I say this? When you ran out of the locker room that day, I got so angry—not at you, _God_ , never at you—but at the team. I was angry at myself, too, because I didn’t do anything. I was a coward. I wanted to apologize but you made your stance clear every time you avoided me, and I understand. Just… let me take this moment to apologize: I’m sorry, Renjun.”

Renjun stays quiet. Then, slowly, he smiles as he takes Lucas’ hands in his. “Play me a song, then I’ll accept your apology.”

“Will you sing with me?” he asks and Renjun nods. _I’ll sing for you, always_.

“Alright… let me…” Lucas turns towards the keys. He starts playing a familiar note and Renjun immediately giggles, leaning in to place his head on top of Lucas’.

“ _Na na na na, na na na na, yeah. You are the music in me. You know the words ‘once upon a time’ make you listen? There’s a reason_.” Renjun feels warm inside as Lucas continues, “ _When you dream there’s a chance you’ll find a little laughter or happy ever after_.”

“ _Your harmony to the melody—it’s echoing inside my head. A single voice, above the noise, and like a common thread—_ ”

Lucas hums, “ _You’re pulling me_.”

“ _When I hear my favourite song, I know that we belong_.”

“ _Renjun is the music in me_ ,” Lucas changes the lyrics and Renjun laughs. “ _Yeah, it’s living in all of me, and it’s brought us here because—_ ”

Feeling brave, Renjun wraps his arms around Lucas, “ _Because you are the music in me_.”

Instead of continuing the song, Lucas turns around to face him again. “Am I forgiven?”

Renjun nods, not trusting himself to speak. Before one of them could say anything else, someone coughs by the doorway. They turn to look at Jaemin and Donghyuck with matching grins.

“Kun wants everyone to at the auditorium now,” Donghyuck says. Renjun narrows his eyes at him. He gets it—just because he’s not in the play anymore doesn’t mean he would miss out on gems that come out of theatre (exhibit A: the scene he just witnessed).

“Okay, yeah, sure—” Lucas stumbles on his words.

(If Jaemin caught them holding hands as they walk towards the auditorium and talking in hushed voices like they’re in their own world, he doesn’t say anything.)

 

 

 

 

 **Xuxi** Retweeted  
**injun** _@moomins_    5m  
“We’re staying together. You’re not getting away from me. Never again.”

 **Xuxi** _@yukhei99_    24s  
**@moomins** “As long as we’re together.”

 

 

 

 

 **injun**  
we tweeting percy jackson quotes now?

 **Xuxi**  
you started it

 **injun**  
h  
can i ask you a question?

 **Xuxi**  
you just did  
okay go on

 **injun**  
what would be a good song to confess to someone

 **Xuxi**  
definitely you are the music in me from hsm 2  
why are you asking…?

 **injun**  
curiosity

 

 

It clicks.

Xuxi is Lucas Wong.

 

 

 

 

Renjun should have expected to be bombarded with questions from his friends and he _should_ have texted them a message at least, but to have his fries be taken away by them on a tiring Monday lunch time is _unfair_.

He reaches for the takeaway packet of fries for the nth time but Jeno only moves it further away from him. He puffs his cheeks in annoyance as Jeno makes a ‘no-no’ gesture with his finger. “Not until you tell us what’s going on with you and Lucas.”

“There’s nothing going on!” he exclaims, and maybe he’s sad by the truth.

“That’s not it—you have heart eyes,” Jaemin says from next to him. Donghyuck is munching on a Spicy Chicken McDeluxe. Lucas got them McDonalds (an absolute _sweetheart_ ) again when he came back from his morning appointment.

“I have _what_?”

“ _Heart eyes_ ,” Jaemin repeats, “You _like_ him.”

Renjun decides to throw caution to the winds, “So what if I do?”

The look on Jaemin’s face is priceless. Donghyuck stopped mid-chew, staring at him like he’s grown another head. Jeno blinks before handing him his well-deserved (it was a long morning—and _no_ , he’s not saying that because Lucas wasn’t at school and Xuxi was offline the entire morning) packet of fries.

“I expected this,” Jaemin deadpans.

“Okay, so why do you look so surprised?”

“I did not expect this.”

“That makes zero sense.”

Renjun cursed himself for placing his phone ever so carelessly on the table, screen facing up, because his phone makes a _Ting!_ sound and all three of his friends turned their heads towards it.

Jaemin was faster. Before Renjun could protest, Jaemin had grabbed his phone and looking at the screen. “It’s the Xuxi guy!”

“What did he say? What did he say?” Donghyuck says, voice muffled with all the food in his mouth. Renjun shouts at him to swallow before he chokes.

“Give me that,” Renjun grabs his phone, opening the message.

 

 

 **Xuxi**  
hey  
sorry i wasn’t online  
i didn’t wanna read you rant about how boring the class was

 **injun**  
RUDE  
and here i thought i missed you

 **Xuxi**  
aw  
did my baby missed me?

 **injun**  
yeah  
he misses you a lot

 

“Send a heart emoji!” Jeno squawks from behind him, apparently reading their conversation.

Before he could swat him for invading his privacy, he thinks to himself: _what’s the worse that could happen, right?_

 

 **injun**  
❤️

 

(Yukhei doesn’t reply for a few minutes. When he finally did, later during his last class of the day—Lucas had basketball practice, Renjun has to bite his fist to not squeal.

 

 **Xuxi**  
and i miss you  
❤️

 

He sends a _thank you_ text to Jeno, afterwards.)

 

 

 

 

It’s the last day of practice for the Christmas show and everyone in the school is buzzing with the excitement. The theatre club has never disappointed—always delivering musicals and plays and shows with preciseness and _magic_ if you must call it that—and the news of them showcasing High School Musical for the Christmas and end-year special makes it even better.

The theatre kids are working harder today, ensuring everything is perfect and there are no rooms for any flaws and mistakes. It’s tough, one of them had already cried twice, but they all know it’ll be worth it to hear the standing ovation.

Kun gives them a fifteen-minute break and everyone passes out on either the stage or the seats. Lucas watches as Kun and Ten walks out of the auditorium before getting up on his feet.

“How are you not tired?” Renjun asks from where he’s sprawled out by the edge of the stage.

Lucas hands him a water bottle, “We’re Wildcats.”

Renjun sits up to drink. Lucas then talks about his day while he listens (he has a really, really, _really_ nice voice—you can’t blame him).

Somewhere mid-conversation, someone had connected the speaker to their phone through Bluetooth (Donghyuck, most likely) because Now or Never is playing and everyone’s singing and joking around. Renjun laughs as Lucas lip-syncs playfully.

Towards the end of the song, Lucas stands up and pretends to be knocked down a few feet away. Renjun tilts his head in confusion before he realizes he’s re-enacting the scene from the movie.

He supresses the giggle, “ _Troy!_ ”

“ _Right now, I can hardly breathe_ ,” Lucas stands up.

“ _Oh, you can do it, just know that I believe_.”

Lucas starts walking towards him, gradually making the space between them smaller than before (as if it wasn’t already), “ _And that’s all I really need_.”

“ _Then come on_.”

Lucas cups his cheeks ever so gently and Renjun gasps at the contact, “ _Make me strong_.”

Everyone shouts, “ _It’s time to turn it up, game on!_ ”

Both of them burst out laughing.

 

 

(Everyone talks about them— _are they dating?/Renjun and Lucas/I saw them almost/they kissed?/they would be a cute couple/Lucas looks like he wants to kiss Renjun/look/the height difference/a power couple/I heard they made out after practice today_ —and if they’re asked if they’re really dating, they shake their heads.)

((Though with the matching pink-tinted cheeks they both have, it’s not difficult to guess the true answer.))

 

 

 

 

 **injun**  
so you coming to the show?

 **Xuxi**  
wouldn’t miss it for the world

 **injun**  
wow  
did lucas roped you into this?

 **Xuxi**  
he didn’t have to  
i mean  
i gotta tell the person i like  
that i love them sooner or later right

 

Renjun’s heart shatters.

 

 **injun**  
oh  
yeah of course  
i have to go

 **Xuxi**  
you okay?

 **injun**  
good luck confessing

 **Xuxi**  
thanks??

 **injun**  
that person must be really lucky

 **Xuxi**  
he is  
he’s the cutest  
you’ll meet him soon :P

 **injun**  
no lucas  
i don’t want to meet him

 **Xuxi**  
oh?  
you found out it was me!

 **injun**  
i connected the dots  
good night lucas  
and to think  
nvm

 **Xuxi**  
???  
what??  
renjun wait

_Seen_

 

 

 

 

Avoiding Lucas was easy. He had done it before, he can do it again.

He memorizes different routes in the school, uses his small figure to slip into the crowd so Lucas can’t get to him, actually buys lunch from the canteen so Lucas doesn’t buy him takeout (much to Donghyuck’s dismay), always chooses the first partner he sees during the one class he shares with Lucas so that he doesn’t have to work with him, and because practice sessions are over and there’s only five days left before the show, he doesn’t accept _any_ excuses for Lucas to hang out with him.

His friends ask him _why, what happened_.

He never has an answer.

 

(He sees Lucas at the end of the hallway—just a day before the show—when he’s the last to come out of his Art class. Renjun only spares him a glance before walking away.)

((Later that night, he tries to erase Lucas’ dejected face out from his mind but that’s the only thing haunting him.

Kun lectured him for looking horrible the next morning.))

 

 

 

 

The whole avoiding thing doesn’t work out very well in the end.

Ten minutes before the musical starts, Renjun finds himself being dragged into a closet and pinned to the wall by a tall—way, way, _way_ tall—figure.

“Lucas,” he begins, “Kun will shave _both_ our heads if we’re going to stay here any longer—”

“Then _talk_ ,” Lucas releases his wrists. His voice was full of confidence that it surprises Renjun when he continues with a sad tone, “Why have you been avoiding me?”

Hearing the question, he looks down. If he’s going to lose Lucas ( _and_ Yukhei, for that matter) as a friend completely after hurting him by avoiding him like a professional, then he might as well confess, right? Perhaps, after doing this, he’ll get over this stupid years-long crush on Lucas. “When you told me… you were going to confess to someone tonight… it broke my heart and I needed space.”

 _Down the drain, it goes_. Renjun sighs. “I like you a lot, Lucas. I like Yukhei, too. Just when I find out you’re the same person, you tell me you like someone else. That shit _hurts_ , okay? It felt like you were shoving it into my face. I know you weren’t but it felt like you were mocking me because I thought you knew I like you.”

Lucas doesn’t say anything. Renjun feels the hot tears threatening to fall but he wills himself not to cry. He needs to keep some part of his pride. Maybe he’ll cry in Jaemin’s arms later.

“I’m sorry for avoiding you.”

He moves past Lucas to grab the door handle when Lucas pulls him back, shoving into his chest.

“Lucas—”

“I was talking about _you_.”

“Huh.”

“The confessing thing? I was talking about wanting to confess to you.”

Renjun finally looks up to meet his eyes for the first time that night. “You— _wait, what_?”

“Renjun!” Lucas laughs, “I like you! I wanted to confess to you tonight. I wanted to tell you I was Yukhei the whole time. I wanted to kiss you.”

He blinks, stepping out of Lucas’ embrace. He looks around, eyes darting everywhere but Lucas. When his mind finally registers what he just said, he buries his face in his hands. “I feel _dumb_.”

Lucas pries his hands open and lifts his chin up with a finger. “No, you’re not.”

Renjun punches him weakly in the arm. “You could have just said so.”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t the one avoiding me like the plague— Hey, hey, _hey_. Don’t frown.”

“I’m sorry for that,” Renjun genuinely repeats.

Lucas grabs his hands. “I’ll forgive you if you kiss me—”

“ _UM, HELLO?_ ” Jaemin shrieks from behind the door, banging on the door a couple more times, “ _KUN IS RAISING HELL BECAUSE YOU TWO AREN’T BACKSTAGE. THERE ARE THREE MINUTES LEFT UNTIL SHOW STARTS_.”

They look at each other with wide eyes before giggling quietly. An angry Jaemin is not a Jaemin you would want to mess with.

Before Lucas opens the door, Renjun stands on his toes to give Lucas a light kiss on the forehead.

Lucas looks like he’s on top of the world. “To be continued?”

Renjun holds his hands tighter. “Let’s go, Wildcat.”

 

 

 

 

“You did great,” Renjun greets, walking towards Lucas who’s sitting in the middle of the stage—now scattered with flower petals and strands from cheerleading pom-poms—staring at the empty seats, reminiscing the standing ovation they received just minutes ago.

“And you did amazing,” Lucas says as Renjun takes a seat next to him. Only then did the latter realizes he has his earphones on.

“What are you listening to?”

Lucas stands up, Renjun following suit. He pulls out one earpiece and hands it to him. “You owe me a dance.”

“We did an entire musical together,” Renjun says before laughing when Lucas feigns glaring at him. He places the earpiece in before wrapping his arms around his neck. Lucas doing the same on his waist.

“ _Take my hand, I’ll take the lead. And every turn, we’ll be safe with me. Don’t be afraid, afraid to fall. You know I’ll catch you through it all_. _And you can’t keep us apart—_ ”

Renjun is in love. “ _Even a thousand miles can’t keep us apart_.  _Cause my heart is—_ ”

Lucas smiles at him like he’s wishing on the brightest, prettiest star. “ _Cause my heart is wherever you are_.”

Placing his head on Lucas’ chest, like it’s his home—the beating heart encaged inside his ribcage—they continue to dance in small movements, “ _It’s like catching lightning, the chances of finding someone like you_.”

Lucas sways their bodies together, “ _It’s one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do_.”

“ _And with every step together, we just keep on getting better_.”

They stop. “ _So can I have this dance?_ ”

“ _Can I have this dance?_ ” Renjun looks up.

Lucas leans in, slowly and Renjun holds his breath. Then, he’s kissing him, pressing slightly chapped lips against his. Renjun counts to two before Lucas moves, pressing harder and Renjun reciprocates. All the loves songs and loves quotes are _nothing_ compared to this. He doesn’t see stars, he sees galaxies forming. There are no fireworks, but he feels the calmness and familiarity— _home_. He feels Lucas’ heartbeats against his fingertips.

This is real.

When Lucas pulls away, he reels him back in for a light peck. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

 

 

 

 

 **injun** _@moomins_    19m  
how does my boyfriend knows all the lyrics to the hsm soundtracks and memorizes quotes from the percy jackson books

 **Xuxi** _@yukhei99_    18m  
**@moomins** “i try not to think” – leo valdez

 **nana** _@jaeminnie_    17m  
**@moomins** we all can do that????

 **injun** _@moomins_    17m  
**@jaeminnie** i know i just wanted to show off my cute boyfriend

 

 

 

 

 **Mark.** _@lmh_    25s  
so what did i miss

**Author's Note:**

> OTL im not a theatre student so i know NOTHING but deni helped me understand some things. i love her
> 
> also i wrote TWO (2) fics in ONE (1) month,,, fcuking crazy
> 
> im on twt @clubsikon be my friend and scream abt yukren with me
> 
> uhh also forgive me for any repetitive words i have Limited english vocab


End file.
